


Seasonal Blooms

by starrylitme



Category: Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Blood and Injury, Budding Love, Complicated Relationships, Developing Relationship, Emotional Baggage, Flowers, Friendship/Love, Goddesses, Hanahaki Disease, Loneliness, M/M, Potions, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-08-02 21:47:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16313258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starrylitme/pseuds/starrylitme
Summary: An unlucky witch is given the request to find out the soulmate of a very dear friend of his.A sudden contraction of a sickness in which flowers get coughed up gets in the way of that.(Hanahaki AU that's also largely based off the Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons series, namely DS/DS Cute. Written for the KomaHina Secret Exchange.)





	Seasonal Blooms

**Author's Note:**

> So this fic is the combination of three prompts: Hanahaki, Fantasy, and Soulmates.
> 
> And, yeah, the first two got a lot more focus than the last one but I tried my best. :'D
> 
> I'm also way too fond of Harvest Moon DS (Cute) so I ended up writing that for the fantasy portion instead of something more conventional. Still, I'm pretty okay with how it turned out for the most part. This is the kinda AU that would be fun to expand, maybe. But for now, it is what it is. Sorry. Please enjoy and comment on whatever because I'm desperate for validation.

“Hmm, mm...”

He flips through the pages, lips pursed as he does.

“Red...or green? I don’t want another failure blowing up in my face.”

Of course, with his miserable luck in action, he shouldn’t have expected anything less than the words in this old tome to be too faded to read. Komaeda sighs, but squints, trying in vain to make out the letters as he shook the toadstool at it in irritation.

“I don’t want to leave something this important to luck...! It’s too important!”

Just as his vision began to strain from intense staring, there was a knock on a door.

“Ah...! It’s unlocked...!”

The door opens, and despite himself, his gaze flickers over to his new visitor.

“Hinata-kun,” he greets with a serious face and firm nod. “Please keep your distance. If I make a mistake, I don’t want you to be caught up in it.”

Hinata’s eyes go wide, and his back presses against the door.

“...that seems a little dangerous, Komaeda...”

“Yes, but it’s high risk, high reward,” Komaeda says, humming and twirling around his mushroom. “Although I have to make a bit of guesswork. Which isn’t terribly fun. But...” He squints now at the fungus. “Perhaps...with the properties of red being just the slightest bit similar to the other ingredients... But then again, they’re all so volatile...”

“Uh...” Hinata rubs at his nape. “Just...be careful.”

Komaeda sighed and then directed his attention back to the other.

“Hey, Hinata-kun, what do you think? Red or green?”

“Huh?” Hinata straightens. “I—isn’t it a little dangerous to just ask me if you aren’t sure? You’d know more about this stuff, Komaeda.”

“True, but Hinata-kun has good gut instincts,” Komaeda pointed out. “So I’ll take that into account. Will you please answer the question, now?”

Hinata makes a face but he thinks it over, looking between the toadstool in Komaeda’s hand and the one set aside. His gaze falls on the former.

“Red, then. You seem partial to that one, anyway.”

“Ooh, that’s true!” Komaeda exclaimed before beaming. “I just wasn’t sure...! Well, then, I guess that’s that!”

“That’s...?”

The toadstool was tossed into the concoction, and the liquid bubbled, the color darkening and Komaeda was humming as he stirred. Hinata still kept his distance, but he covered his nose when the odor turned pungent.

“U- _Urgh_...”

“That’s a good sign,” Komaeda says. “The stench is born of negative energy. Once it burns out, it’ll be perfect and so...so _hopeful_...!”

“I-If you say so...” Hinata squeezed his nose with a grimace. “Better than it catching fire, I guess.”

“Yes, yes,” Komaeda chirps. “Much better. Hinata-kun made such a good call. Thank you.”

“It’s nothing... I just... I’m glad nothing happened.”

It really did smell so _bad_ , though. Komaeda, of course, was unaffected as ever, but Hinata began to feel sick. Just as his eyes squeeze shut, something soft smacks him in the face.

“ _Ack_...!”

“Sorry,” Komaeda said, frowning. “You looked ill, so I thought...”

When Hinata’s eyes opened and he looked down, what he found was one of Komaeda’s ancient potpourri at his feet. When he redirects his gaze, Komaeda is giving him an apologetic smile.

“That should alleviate things a little... But... Don’t hesitate to step back outside. Once the color changes, I’ll store it properly and come get you, Hinata-kun.” He laughs, just a little. “Perhaps it’s impudent of me, but—you seemed to have come here for a reason.”

Hinata immediately flinched. For a moment, he seems almost—ruffled.

Hands clammy, he picks up the potpourri and nodded mutely.

“I-I did but... It’s not that big of a deal... I-I can wait...outside...for a bit. Yeah. Uh, sorry for the bother...”

“Oh, no, Hinata-kun’s never a bother!” Komaeda gasped. “Whatever reason it was—it must be important!”

For some reason, Hinata got all flustered.

“D... Don’t worry about it..! Never mind! J-Just never mind!”

With that, Hinata hurried out with the potpourri, slamming the wooden door shut behind him, and leaving Komaeda hopelessly confused.

“...I can’t possibly not worry when you make a face like that...”

His frown deepens, and even when he turns back to his potion, he doesn’t feel much better.

“...Hinata-kun’s such a dummy.”

* * *

_Hinata-kun’s definitely an especially foolish human, but..._

After pouring the potion into necessary containers, he labels and stores them dutifully.

_He’s not unimportant or anything like that. But, aren’t such thoughts unwise to have? Unimportant or not, Hinata-kun is a human. But..._

All the other humans in village tended to avoid him and think poorly of him. Rightfully so. It was a fate he resigned himself to, but Hinata had approached him when he was gathering materials. Hinata was most certainly wary of him—just like everyone else—but he still...asked about him.

_“So you’re a witch...right? I’ve never...met one in person, before.”_

_“Aha. Sorry to disappoint you. As a witch, I’m pretty mediocre, ehe.”_

_“...is that so...?” Hinata’s lips pursed. “Well, someone like me wouldn’t know anything like that. So I’m not really disappointed.”_

_“I guess that’s expectable.”_

_“...you don’t seem like a bad person.”_

_“Aha, what?”_

_“You don’t...” Hinata’s gaze back then was unwavering. “You don’t seem bad. If anything you seem...lonely.”_

_“...lonely...”_

_“Was that too forward?” Just like that, he got flustered. “Well, it’s my gut feeling.”_

_“Aha...a gut feeling... I see. Well...”_

He hadn’t exactly been wrong. Komaeda didn’t mind being lonely—but he didn’t exactly enjoy it, either. It couldn’t be helped. The villagers were right to be wary of him and his strange concoctions and spells. They were kind enough to let him be, however, and he was anything but ungrateful for that.

Still, being treated as some frightful creature wasn’t fun. So he really did appreciate Hinata’s willingness to visit him. Sometimes, he’d ramble on about the other villagers and such was enjoyable to hear about. He was glad to hear everyone was doing well and full of energy.

Even if it served as a cold reminder of how he could never truly be a part of that—if he had Hinata, things weren’t so bad.

_Such thoughts are so dangerous to have. So, so dangerous..._

Especially now, when his heart was pounding as he pushed open the door.

“Hinata-kun...?”

Especially now, when his breath catches just at the very sight of Hinata jerking to face him. Hinata’s cheeks are still so adorably flushed, and his grip on the potpourri is tight. It’s adorable, how Hinata practically flings his arm out to return the potpourri.

“T-Thanks. Uh. Worked like a charm.”

Komaeda’s smile was soft as he took it back.

“That really makes me happy to hear, aha.” His smile widens; his head tilts. “By the way... Why did you come visit me?”

“I-It’s stupid,” Hinata stammers, cheeks darkening.

_So cute... So cute it hurts._

“If it’s troubling you, it’s not stupid!” he insisted. “Hinata-kun, just tell me! I may be a meager, mediocre witch, but I’ll do anything to help you...! We’re friends, after all!”

_Friends..._

“Mmgh...” Hinata rubs at his nose. “I... Urgh... Why the hell did I think this was a good idea...?”

“Please tell me,” Komaeda said. “I promise not to make fun of you, Hinata-kun.”

_We’re friends, after all._

“W-Well... I... Urgh... You might not even be able to help me...”

“Maybe not... But I’ll certainly try! Absolutely!”

_We’re friends!_

“I...” Hinata hesitates, covering his mouth, gaze sheepishly averting. It’s fine. Komaeda’s own heartbeat was swift and deafening in his ears. “Hey... Komaeda...”

“Yes, Hinata-kun?”

“What...do you know...” Hinata’s eyes slowly and uncertainly meet his own. “About soulmates?”

_...eh?_

“I, uh, the villagers were talking about how the goddess would sometimes offer advice, but—I’ve no idea how that works and I have no idea how to even ask but...” Hinata fiddles with his fingers. “I-I thought...maybe you would know about that.”

“Oh...” Komaeda exhales. “That’s right... Hinata-kun, you’re...about that age, aren’t you...? The age where you’d be—concerned with such things...”

He hadn’t really thought about that. For someone like him, who aged so slowly, well—it stupidly hadn’t occurred to him. Hinata was different, of course.

“So you’re already looking to settle down?” he asked, smile twitching. “Start a family, maybe?”

_Something that I could never do..._

“N-No, no!” Hinata shook his head furiously. “I’m not looking _that_ far ahead! I-I just...” He trails off, biting his tongue before stammering onward. “I-I’m just...curious, is all...”

Hinata shrugged almost helplessly.

“I’ve never really come across the idea of soulmates before I came here... So I really have to wonder about it... Is it possible for everyone to have a person they’re meant to be with?” Hinata inhales, lashes lowering. “Komaeda, you’ve been around, so... I was wondering if you knew...”

“It’s definitely a wonderful idea, isn’t it?” Komaeda keeps a cheerful smile, even as this conversation leaves a lonely pang in his chest. “I am aware of it. There have been many happy couples, I think, as a result. So I suppose soulmates must exist.”

Hinata blushed, chewing on his lower lip.

“Do you think... Someone like me...?”

“Anyone would be lucky to have you, Hinata-kun,” he said. Adorably, Hinata’s cheeks practically glowed. “But I get what you’re really asking. You want to know if there’s a way to know who your soulmate is, correct?” He winks. “I might be able to find a spell that’ll at least show a face.”

“You...can really do that?” Hinata’s eyes were sparkling with eagerness. He wouldn’t have the heart to refuse either way.

“Don’t worry, Hinata-kun!” Komaeda chirped. “I’ll get started right away!”

“K-Komaeda...! Thanks...!”

“It’s nothing, it’s nothing,” he laughs. “After all, what are friends for?”

_Ah. Aha._

**_For some reason, I feel really sick._ **

“Thank you so much...!”

“I already said it’s nothing, Hinata-kun...”

_It really hurts... How strange._

* * *

Even after Hinata had left, that weird, throbbing pain remained in his chest, leaving him rubbing his sternum with a wince.

“Ah... Aha...”

He shuts the door behind him before he slides down, and it was as if the throbbing got worse.

“Oww...”

He covers his mouth, a stranger wave of nausea rolling over him. He coughs a few times, but manages to swallow back saliva.

“U... Urgh...” He rubs his throat. “How strange... How very strange... Perhaps that odor from before _did_ get to me... Well... It should be fine.”

He had potions, after all. He’ll be fine.

_Hinata-kun..._

Komaeda sighs.

_It’ll be fine._

* * *

_Soulmates, huh? It really does sound so wonderful. For someone like me, such a thing is unlikely at best. Meanwhile humans are such fleeting creatures._

Truth be told, he doesn’t know much about the intricacies. He was isolated most of the time, after all, and there were times he just completely avoided others for the sake of easier living. It really was—lonely, but he could manage.

_My existence is cursed. Things are better this way. I’m already being so indulgent by entertaining Hinata-kun’s notions of friendship. Why is he even like that? Everyone else likes him plenty. It wouldn’t surprise me if even the goddess favored him._

He didn’t understand, but all the same, he was grateful.

_Urgh... It still hurts a little._

He clears his throat a few times. The dull ache does little to dissipate, so he just has to deal with it, unfortunate as that may be. For now, he focuses on pulling out herbs and flowers for ingredients.

_What would Hinata-kun’s soulmate even be like?_

It would have to be someone kind-hearted and patient, for sure. But also someone who could be stern and outspoken, because Hinata could get rattled and insecure so easily. Someone with a bright smile, someone who looked toward the future, someone unwavering and determined, someone like that—

_Hinata-kun deserves someone...like that. I think. I don’t actually know how romance works. I’m not the kind of person who would ever have someone, after all._

He’s lived long enough to be sure of it.

_Ah... Hurts..._

He still manages to uproot a particularly difficult herb, and he catches his breath, leaning against one of the trees. For whatever reason, the smell of earth make him feel even sicker, throat closing up, eyes stinging as he coughed into his sleeve.

“Urgh... _Urgh_...”

He wiped his mouth off, noting with irritation that it was stained with dirt and petals were stuck on it from all his picking. He would have to scrub it thoroughly. He had managed to upheave enough materials, at least.

It was troubling, that said, that he still had such a cough despite drinking potions that should’ve helped with that.

_It might be a stubborn sickness. Should I try something stronger? The potion I just made could help. I would hate to waste it, that said. If it persists..._

Komaeda shakes his head and returns to his cottage.

_For now, let’s focus on Hinata-kun’s request. Aah, how long has it been since someone requested my services? Despite being alive for eons, this might just be the first time this has happened. And it was Hinata-kun who asked me... Hinata-kun who felt comfortable enough..._

The throbbing really was starting to get unbearable, so he took a deep breath even as that earned a few coughs.

_Hinata-kun... I’ll do my best...!_

* * *

_This spell is actually surprisingly complicated...!_

Perhaps he shouldn’t be surprised. Soulmates were considered on a higher level, even above that of a god or goddess. It would be difficult for anyone to navigate through the intricacies of a red string.

_But this is for Hinata-kun’s sake...!_

With that in mind, he crushed the herbs with great haste. At times like these, he was nothing short of focused, mixing in the ingredients and setting up purified water where his reflection was crystal clear.

_The clearer so that I can better convey the image of Hinata-kun’s soulmate. So that Hinata-kun can see them properly._

**_...see them... Hinata-kun’s soulmate..._ **

His chest clenched, and he swallowed. His throat itched. He pushed it out of his mind, removing dirt from the herbs and flowers so that the mixture wouldn’t be compromised. He stirs and adds it to the water. It dissolves into nothing within the water, and Komaeda was left wondering.

_Would something like this really work...? I’ll have to ask for someone’s assistance to make absolute sure... For Hinata-kun’s sake, I want to make absolute sure._

**_Hinata-kun..._ **

It throbbed like an burn.

“A-Aah..?!”

It throbbed and it burned.

“A- _Ack_...!”

Komaeda curled up, covering his mouth and coughing harshly.

_It hurts, it **hurts**!_

He couldn’t even breathe, he just kept coughing and coughing, the hacking getting rougher and throatier, until...

He coughed up something solid, yet soft. Something that filled his palm as blood dripped down his chin. Blood dripped into the water, and Komaeda’s chest seized with panic.

“O-Oh no..! Oh no, no, _no_...! N-No...” A wave of nausea, and he ends up coughing up more blood and—something else. Petals. Blood-crusted petals, fluttering down and floating atop the water’s surface, creating a flower raft atop tainted, murky water. Komaeda stares on with shock and horror as his reflection is distorted before it’s gone. “N... _No_...”

_This can’t be happening..._

His trembling hand wipes off his mouth, and more of those petals stick to his skin, slick with saliva and blood.

_This can’t be happening. Something like this...!_

He felt dizzy, head throbbing and heavy as he swayed.

_Hurts... It really hurts... Why... Why this...? Hinata-kun..._

**_Hinata-kun..._ **

“H-Hi... Hic...” He hiccups, and another petal flutters from his lips as he slumps onto the ground. “...ta-kun...”

Everything goes dark.

* * *

When he wakes up, his head is still throbbing, lips dried and cracked. Komaeda pushes himself up with a groan, rubbing his temples.

_That was... That wasn’t normal._

All that was left of the would-be concoction was crusted blood and rotten petals. Komaeda bit his lip at the sight, and sighed, getting up so that he could wash out the pot, at least.

He has to clean his face, next, and he watches specs of dried blood swirl around with petals. He could still taste bitter iron, even after he tried to rinse out his mouth. Wiping off his lips once more, wincing, Komaeda sat there, contemplating.

_...those ingredients were hard to find and slow to grow... I really messed up... I’ll need to beg for Hinata-kun’s forgiveness._

**_Hinata-kun._ **

Komaeda shivered, a pang in his chest even as he clenched the fabric over it. He swallows, and then takes a deep breath.

_This...is a matter that needs to be dealt with in the meantime._

* * *

Komaeda doesn’t like visiting the goddess.

That wasn’t to say he disliked her, of course not! But their encounters could often lead to—trouble. He’s still deeply ashamed of the time one of his spells went haywire and nearly turned the poor goddess to stone. She had forgiven him, but her guarded gaze remained unsurprisingly suspicious to this day. So, really, he tries not to bother her at any given opportunity.

Several times, he went back and forth on if he should visit even under these circumstances, but...

_I don’t want this blossoming condition of mine to get in the way of my assisting Hinata-kun._

**_Hinata-kun..._ **

“U-Urgh...” He felt sick again, so he downed another potion real quick. It didn’t do much, but it alleviated the throbbing for a bit. As long as he could breathe, he could manage.

He needed to hurry. The last thing he wanted was to stain the goddess’s spring with blood. That would just be rude, after all. With that in mind, Komaeda knelt before the spring.

“...Um.” He hesitantly drops an offering of pink flowers into the spring’s edge. “Nanami-san... Can you hear me?”

The water’s surface glows. Soft yet radiant.

In a flourish of light and sparkles, the goddess appears with her hands clasped. She gracelessly yawns. Soft pink eyes flicker open, and Komaeda shrinks under her stare as her brow furrows.

“Komaeda-kun,” she says, and she tucks away the pink flowers offered into the matching collection adorning her hair. Her head tilts, her expression unimpressed. “This is...unexpected, I think.”

“Apologies,” Komaeda laughs weakly, waving his hands. “I wouldn’t have come here if it wasn’t a serious matter, I assure you.”

“I believe you,” Nanami replied before pausing, mulling it over. “At least, I think I do.”

_...spacy as always, this goddess..._

Komaeda’s smile twitches but he pushes himself onward.

“Well, as spacy as you can be, you actually do know quite a bit. As expected of a goddess, after all.”

Nanami stared at him blankly.

“...uh huh.” She nodded. “Something really serious is on your mind, I think. Actually, Komaeda-kun, have you always been this pale?”

Komaeda rubs at the nape of his neck. A habit picked up by Hinata.

“I’ve...come down with a rather odd sickness,” he admitted. “Perhaps Nanami-san has heard of it? It might be a spell gone wary—but it really is quite troubling. I’ve been coughing up flower petals, Nanami-san.” He laughs even as Nanami’s lips part. “They’re crusted with blood. It’s as if within my very lungs, a malicious flower grows and is suffocating me as we speak. Doesn’t that sound terrifying? I—well...”

Komaeda swallows, shaking a little, even as his smile stubbornly remains.

“I wanted...to request more information from Nanami-san about such a condition...if you know anything, of course. That’s all. It’s troublesome, so I’d like to know what I’m dealing with as soon as possible.”

He’s smiling, but Nanami is frowning at him. And said frown deepens.

“Do you know anything, Nanami-san?” he asks cheerfully. “Such a serious face...! Whatever’s the matter?”

Nanami huffed quietly, and there are ripples in the water as she lifts the fabric of her dress so that she can step into the grass. Flowers grow where she steps, and where she plops down. Komaeda waits innocently, but then she points at him, earning him to stiffen.

“You’re,” she says with all the meaning the universe can muster, as expected of a goddess. “You’re literally _lovesick_ , Komaeda-kun.”

Komaeda blinks. Once. Twice. His smile doesn’t fall only because it’s plastered on.

“Excuse me?”

“It’s called hanahaki,” Nanami explained, the words muffled against her knees as she draws them in. “When you compared it to a malicious flower growing inside... That’s actually a pretty accurate assessment. It’s a very sad sickness born of unrequited love.”

_...unrequited...?_

He didn’t understand.

“I didn’t actually think it was real,” Nanami added, as if that made things better. “This is my first time actually observing it, I think. It might only happen among immortals. Maybe.”

Shakily, Komaeda chuckles.

“That, ah, that can’t be right. You must be mistaken, Nanami-san,” he said, forcing his smile wider. “I, well, someone like me—there’s no way I’d _ever_ be that close to someone. Love...? Someone like me...? That’s impossible.”

“Come to think of it, if anyone could contract hanahaki disease, it _would_ be Komaeda-kun, huh,” Nanami mumbled, dull-eyed. “But it’s the truth, Komaeda-kun. I’d swear my godliness on it. Probably.”

“T-Then you aren’t sure, Nanami-san!” Komaeda burst out, to which Nanami shook her head.

“No. I’m positive about it. Super sure. I think.”

“Nanami- _san_...! _Hhck_!”

Instead of his voice breaking into a whine, it broke into several coughs instead. Nanami was by his side in an instant, rubbing and smacking his back as he choked out several bloody petals. Through his blurring vision, he could tell that her face was solemn.

“There’s no doubt,” she said. “This is hanahaki, Komaeda-kun.”

“But... B-But...” He shakes his head in vain, laughter broken and humorless. “That’s just... This is just... Then, if that’s the case—can nothing be done? I’m not much use like this...not that I was terribly useful before...”

_Someone finally requested something from me... The only friend I’ve ever made... And this happens. How truly, despairingly unfortunate I must be._

“Well, obviously, if the person you love loves you back, it goes away,” Nanami supplied helpfully. “Um, so, who is it? As a goddess, I can bless you... I think.”

“Oh there’s no way that could happen,” Komaeda said quickly, waving his hand. “With all due respect, Nanami-san, something like that is impossible even with a goddess’s blessing.”

Nanami once again stares at him. Said stare is a little unsettlingly intense.

“...so who is it?” she asked again.

“That doesn’t...” Komaeda trails off upon meeting her gaze. He can only sigh wiping off his mouth. “I wouldn’t know. The only person I even talk to nowadays is Hinata-kun.”

“That guy who arrived last year?”

“Ten months ago, actually,” he corrected.

“Right. He lives on the farm. A farmer.” Nanami nods in approval. “Good choice. I think.”

“Yes,” Komaeda mumbles, smiling faintly. “You would say that...”

_Nanami-san’s a goddess of harvest, after all... Even though Hinata-kun’s not exactly enthusiastic about it._

“The two of you would be a good match, I think,” she said. “Hinata-kun seems to like talking to you, if he still does.”

“That’s not exactly saying much; Hinata-kun talks to everyone.” He shrugged. “He’s a very kind person. Or he’s just curious about witches in general. I’m definitely not special to him, aha. Hinata-kun’s—looking to meet his soulmate, after all.”

“His soulmate?”

“I was trying to create a means of showing that person; the person that Hinata-kun is destined to be with,” Komaeda says, eyes falling shut. “But then... Hanahaki, was it? It really is so unfortunate.”

_Will this kill me?_

“...um.” Nanami seemed to be pondering something over. “Well, you could probably make a potion that would kill the flower growing inside of you.”

“Ohhh!” Komaeda immediately perks up. “Then! I can get started on that right away, provided the ingredients aren’t too hard to find!! I could probably whip up a teleportation spell if necessary.”

“The thing is,” she mumbles. “If you did that—your feelings would disappear completely. That would be...sad, I think.”

“Why would it be sad?” Komaeda asked. “It can’t be helped. It’s this or suffering. And suffering gets in the way of things. Like helping Hinata-kun find his soulmate.”

Nanami grimaced.

“...I guess I should ask while I’m here,” Komaeda went on. “Nanami-san, you’ve blessed countless happy couples. If anyone would know Hinata-kun’s soulmate, it would be you, right?”

_Even though I want to help him myself..._

“Um.” Nanami hesitated. “I think—you and Hinata-kun would be a good match. Yeah.”

“Nanami-san.” His expression turned serious and stern. “Now’s not the time to be dodgy or to joke. If you don’t know, then you should just say it.”

“Then I...don’t know, sorry.” Nanami plays with the flowers in her hair. “But I do think you and Hinata-kun would be a good match. Yep.”

He sighs heavily at that.

“You seem a little awkward. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.” _Still, what cruel jokes._ “Well, then, thank you, Nanami-san, for your advice and assistance on other matters.” He stands up, dusting himself off. “I suppose I should wish you well?”

Nanami picks quietly at the dark, crimson-dyed petals.

“Komaeda-kun, you’re difficult.”

“I apologize,” he said, smiling sadly. “That isn’t my intention. I really should get going. I’ve troubled you enough, Nanami-san.”

She really does seem quite troubled, too. He should hurry off, then, and hurry he shall.

_Hanahaki, huh?_ Thoughtlessly, his fingers trace his lips, the tips coming away with dark-red crusted particles. In the right light, it could’ve been mistaken for dirt. _What an odd condition. A flower born of unrequited love—it must be the cruelest of jokes._

He wanted to laugh, even if the situation wasn’t a terribly funny one to be in.

A wave of dizziness nearly overcomes him once more, causing him to stumble.

And he would’ve stumbled right into the tree if he wasn’t caught and steadied by strong arms.

“W-Whoa...! Careful...!”

Komaeda blinks blearily, and clears his throat, managing to avoid a few coughs for now. As his vision re-focuses, that worried frown on the other’s face deepens.

“Komaeda, are you...okay...?”

“Komaeda-kun, you look so sick! Oh no...!”

_Ah. Hinata-kun..._ He rubs at his eyes, groaning. _And...someone else._

A small little sprite on Hinata’s shoulder, wearing a rabbit-eared cap with tearful eyes. Oh, right. He knows this particular sprite.

“Usami,” he said, sighing.

“Usami-chan?” Nanami gasped sharply. “There you are!”

“Waaaaah, Chiaki-chan...!”

The sprite bounces off Hinata’s shoulder and rushes into Nanami’s waiting hands. Usami tearfully nuzzles Nanami’s cheek, sniffling out apologies.

“She said she got lost,” Hinata explains, shrugging. “So I figured I’d take her back. I didn’t expect to see you here, though.”

“...you really are a kind person, aren’t you?” Komaeda asked, smiling wryly.

“Eh, huh?” Hinata shook his head, cheeks reddened. “No, not really. She would’ve just been wailing the entire time. Anyone else would do the same.”

Usami hiccups, Nanami shushes her gently, and Komaeda didn’t doubt Hinata’s words.

_...still._

“Thank you.” It’s Nanami who speaks. “For bringing her back. Regardless of your motivations, that was a kind thing to do. I think.”

“H-Hinata-kun’s a very kind person!” Usami blubbered. “Komaeda-kun is right!”

“It’s really nothing.” Hinata’s blush darkened as he rubbed furiously at the back of his head. It’s cute. Really cute. “Uh. It’s weird to see you hanging out with the goddess, Komaeda.”

Komaeda flinched. The back of his throat itches, and he swallows.

“I was asking her about your soulmate,” he said cheerfully. “If anyone would know, it’d be Nanami-san.”

“You and Komaeda-kun are a good match,” Nanami said. Komaeda nearly bit his lip hard enough to bleed. “That’s what I think. After all, you’re the only person Komaeda-kun gets along with.”

“As I _said_!” Komaeda hurriedly exclaimed. “Hinata-kun gets along with everyone! Even the most difficult of people! Like Souda-kun or Saionji-san...”

“I wouldn’t exactly call that getting along,” Hinata said. “But, Komaeda and I are friends, yeah.”

**_...friends._ **

_That makes me really happy to hear. So happy that it hurts._

“Komaeda? Oi, Komaeda?!”

_Ah. It really hurts._

“Komaeda!!” Hinata takes his shoulders, giving them a good shake. Komaeda snaps out of it, a pained groan escaping his lips. Hinata pulls back with a yelp as he coughs. “A-Ack, sorry! Sorry! Are you alright?!”

“He’s very sick,” Nanami said seriously. “Hinata-kun, you need to take good care of him.”

Usami whined as Hinata balked.

“M-Me? Seriously?!”

“You need to, Hinata-kun,” Nanami insisted.

“Friends should take care of friends!” Usami added. “Take care of your friend, Hinata-kun!”

“B... But...”

Komaeda coughs up a few petals into his hand and clenches them into his fist so that Hinata doesn’t see. Of course, Hinata is still looking him over so worriedly.

“How long have you been sick?” he asks. “You haven’t—been pushing yourself, have you? Geez, Komaeda...”

Hinata takes his arm.

“Come on. Let’s get back to your tree.”

“...okay, Hinata-kun.”

Behind his back, Komaeda flicks away the petals off his palm. He nods simply, and he can feel Nanami’s piercing stare on his back.

“Good luck,” she says as Hinata tugs him away.

“Love, love!” Usami supplies unhelpfully.

Hinata doesn’t even return their regards. He seems to be too focused on his concern. It really does hurt, even as it selfishly makes Komaeda happy, too.

For whatever reason, he can just imagine that wretched flower’s gnarled roots digging into his lungs until they bled. Thankfully, he doesn’t feel that. Not yet, at least.

* * *

“Your lips are caked with blood. That’s...not good.”

“No, it’s not.”

Strangely, the usual smell of earth and bark within his home isn’t as soothing as it usually is. But, perhaps that’s because of Hinata, whose visage is flattered by the low, warm light. Hinata, who’s fussing over him and frowning with such worry that Komaeda feels even lesser than usual.

_It’s because of me that you’re making such an unpleasant face. I’m so sorry, Hinata-kun._

“How long have you been sick?” Hinata asked again, wiping off Komaeda’s face and feeling his forehead for a fever. “You do feel warm, but I don’t think it’s a full-blown fever... Hah...”

He rummages through his knapsack for a tonic.

“Uh. Will this help?”

Komaeda blinks at it, at the dark blue of the container, and he shakes his head.

“That’s for fatigue,” he said, smiling sadly. “It’s not going to do anything.”

“O-Oh...” Hinata looks stricken. “Urgh... Then what _will_?”

“I’ll make something that will,” Komaeda said. “So, you really don’t need to worry. I’m sorry for the trouble. And for before, Hinata-kun.”

Hinata cocks his head to the side in confusion.

_Aha. So endearing._

His throat itched terribly.

“I almost had something prepared for you to see your soulmate...” Komaeda’s gaze and voice lower with shame. “But I messed up. And it’s going to take a while longer. I really am useless. You gave me such a simple task...!”

“Why...the hell would I care about _that_ right now?” Hinata manages, balking with shock. “Even if that was a pressing concern, it’s not _your_ fault that you got sick.”

_Isn’t it, though? Worthlessly pining over someone like that... Burdening that person with a condition like this..._ Komaeda sullenly rubs his throat. _How horrible of me._

“Hey.” Hinata takes his shoulders. “It’s _not_ your fault, Komaeda.”

Komaeda laughs, however weakly.

“Hinata-kun really is much too kind.”

“I mean it,” Hinata hissed. “So quit saying that. I’m not even that _nice_ of a guy, y’know.” He huffs, irritably running his fingers through his hair. “You’re the one that’s actually eager to help others. I’m not. I just...”

He shakes his head.

“Whatever. Point is. You’re not, undeserving or whatever. Y’know?”

_I don’t, really._

“You should probably have something to eat,” Hinata went on. “Uh... I can cook you something if you want? I...” He looks around, pursing his lips in thought. “If that’s possible, I mean.”

“It is,” Komaeda murmured. “But it would be really despairing if something went awry, Hinata-kun.”

“Oh, uh, yeah, that’s true.” Hinata grimaces and opens his bag once again. “Uh... Maybe... I should at least be able to do _something_...!”

_You’re so worked up about this._

A smile tugs at the corner of his lips, and there’s a scary moment where he can’t breathe, earning him to cough harshly into his hand once again.

“ _Komaeda_!”

He turns away, obscuring the petals and hiding them in his sleeves. Hinata’s so concerned about the blood that he doesn’t notice. It’s a blessing and a curse.

“You’re really sick...” Hinata murmurs, frown deepening. He rubs Komaeda’s back. “Hey, uh... Why don’t I help make you that potion you apparently need? Wouldn’t that help?”

Komaeda wipes off his mouth, tasting dirt and blood.

“...you’re so insistent...”

“We’re _friends_ ,” Hinata pointed out. “And believe it or not, I care about you a lot, Komaeda. You go out of your way for me when I don’t even need that much.”

_That’s because I like you. A lot. I really, really like you._

“I shouldn’t trouble you like this. Um. Please forget about everything, Hinata-kun. I’ll handle it. So there’s nothing to worry about. I won’t trouble you anymore...”

“ _I’m_ not the one who matters here!” Hinata exclaimed. “God, Komaeda—don’t you _get_ it?!”

_The kinder you are to me, the worst it’s going to get._

“Hinata-kun. I’ll say it directly, then. Please leave.”

Hinata flinched, but he still scowled.

“I can’t just leave when you’re _like_ this...”

“There’s not really anything you can do,” Komaeda said, gripping his throat. “I can’t exactly trust a human to make potions for me. If you screw up, it’d be catastrophic.”

At that, Hinata’s face immediately fell.

“...I wouldn’t...”

“I’m not in a state that I can’t do it myself, so I’d rather not take any risks,” Komaeda went on, not even looking at him. “And you getting agitated is just making me anxious. Please...leave. Please just leave. I need to be able to think and I can’t do that with you yelling at me.”

Hinata trembled a bit, fists clenching, shoulders all tense, before they just slump. Collapsing under the weight.

“You need rest, at least,” he sighs. “You’ve been overdoing it, right? Working yourself even though you’re sick...” It’s strange. Hinata almost looks ashamed. “I’m sorry about all this, Komaeda.”

“It’s not your fault,” Komaeda said. “I’ll see you later, Hinata-kun.”

Hinata hesitates but he nods.

“Yeah. Later. Take it easy, alright?”

“Alright.”

Just like that, Hinata’s left. The hollowed out tree that was his home felt even more hollow than usual. How strange.

_I really am the worst._

* * *

He does rest a bit. Quite a bit. More than he probably should have. All the same, he gets to work once he’s up.

It’s a little difficult reading through his books with a throbbing headache. Several of these books he has no memory of, and others he can only recall in the vaguest possible sense. That, too, makes matters difficult. But, eventually, in a book that just had to be at the bottom of one of his piles, he found an entry on hanahaki. And a means of curing it.

Said means could render him mute if he wasn’t careful. But that would hardly be a loss.

Still, he found himself pausing when he read the words that Nanami had recounted earlier.

“If you kill the flower, you kill those feelings as well...”

_“That would be sad, I think.”_

Komaeda wondered about that before shaking his head.

“It would be better,” he mutters, summoning a fire to start. “Luck is in my favor this time. I have these ingredients. So I can just get started.”

_And that will be that._

Komaeda worked in silence, only taking a break every so often to cough. It was largely tolerable, at least, compared to the other day. That, too, was good fortune, he supposed.

_It’ll be easier on everyone. Hinata-kun especially._

He has to let it cook, and he’s considerably exhausted already. The flames have to be kept low, and he can manage that much. With the low crackling of the fire, the simmering of the potion, situations like these were usually calming in their familiarity. That wasn’t the case now.

For whatever reason, a heavy atmosphere persisted.

_I’m tired. So tired._

Still, he had to wait. All while his throat itched terribly and he had to cough every so often. One petal got stuck on the roof of his mouth and that was very, very irritating. He nearly choked on it. Also irritating.

_I’m so very tired._

There’s a knock on the door.

_I just..._

There’s another knock. It’s incessant. And of course, Komaeda recognizes it, letting out a low whine.

“Urgh... Hinata- _kun_...” He pushes himself up and goes to the door. He pushes it open, and doesn’t bother mustering up his usual smile. “Hinata-kun, I’m a little busy.”

“Did you get any rest?” Hinata asks, a hand on his hip and looking awfully unimpressed.

Komaeda huffs, reflecting that very sentiment. “I did. More than I needed to. Thank you for asking.”

“You still look awful,” Hinata said, face pinching up. “Sick. All pale with those dark shadows under your eyes. Have you eaten anything?”

Komaeda opens his mouth to say something, but a low growl from his stomach answers for him. He shuts his mouth, cheeks pinking a bit.

“I thought so.”

Hinata presents him with a sealed container.

“I made some soup. It should be easy to swallow and keep down. So...” He practically pushes it into Komaeda’s hands. “There you go. I figured that you hadn’t eaten anything. You forget to eat on normal occasions, too...”

Hinata scratches his cheek, seeming lost in thought. It’s a little strange. There are worry lines near Hinata’s averted gaze, and his lips are trembling a little. Komaeda blinks a few times, realizing.

_Hinata-kun hasn’t slept well. He’s agitated again._

“...were you really that worried about me?”

“Of course I was!” Hinata snapped. “What kind of question even _is_ that?”

_...what kind, indeed... Hey, Hinata-kun..._

“Do you like me?”

“H- _Huh_?!”

Hinata stiffened, eyes going wide as his cheeks dyed a brilliant red. He blinked several times and hurriedly looked away from Komaeda’s impassive stare.

“I... Of course... I like you...” Hinata grumbles. “We’re _friends_. Isn’t that...a given?”

Komaeda inhales, and he exhales.

“Well. I like Hinata-kun very much. Maybe even too much.”

_So much so that it hurts. So much so that it’s killing me._

“I... Is that so...?” Hinata’s blush just seemed to get deeper. “Well, that’s... That’s not surprising either. You don’t...exactly talk to anyone else, after all.”

“No,” he agreed. “I don’t. That’s why Hinata-kun is so special to me.”

“...uh. I-If you wanted to get along with the other villagers, you could’ve just told me,” Hinata stammered out. “I mean, uh, Souda overreacts a lot, but once he sees you aren’t so bad, he’ll get comfortable. Kuzuryuu can be a little irritable, but I don’t think he’ll mind you too much... Koizumi and Owari both, too... Uh...”

“I would appreciate that,” Komaeda said. “But... I also don’t think that’d be for the better. Hinata-kun... You do realize... I’ve been alive for a _long_ time, right?”

Hinata stilled.

“Can you even begin to grasp...how fleeting and insignificant your lifespan is to someone like me? So, really...” Komaeda trails off. “It’s easier and simpler...to not get too involved with others. It’s better if I don’t. What I’m saying, Hinata-kun, is that...shouldn’t we distance ourselves a little? We’re of two entirely different worlds after all. The time it takes for you to die of old age is nothing but a blink of an eye where I’m concerned. It’d be better this way.”

Hinata makes a pained face.

“That sounds way too lonely, Komaeda.”

“Perhaps,” Komaeda admitted. “But it’s not like I’m unused to that.”

“Still, I don’t think that’s right,” Hinata said. “How long have you been _lonely_?”

Komaeda’s lips twisted just the slightest bit.

“...longer than you can begin to imagine.”

Hinata shivered at that.

“That’s...” He hesitated, and then, he searched through his bag and pulled out a jar. “I meant to give this to you the other day.”

Komaeda’s head tilts as Hinata holds it out. Frowning, Komaeda squints as he tries to make out what’s contained, and what’s inside is a bunch of flowers with petals that are a startling shade of yellow. He recognizes these. He uses them for quite a few potions. They’re hard to find.

“I wanted to try growing them,” Hinata muttered. “And it was really difficult just getting them to bloom. That said, I know you like them.”

“I do like them,” Komaeda says quietly.

“If you like flowers, then why can’t we remain friends?” Hinata grumbled, almost under his breath. “Flowers die pretty quickly, too.”

_Ah._

“...that is true...”

“U-Urk!” Hinata got all flustered again. “I didn’t actually mean to say that.”

Komaeda could only giggle.

“...well. I can’t take that while also holding onto the soup Hinata-kun made,” he said. “But I do really appreciate it, so... Why don’t you come inside for a bit, Hinata-kun? I can make you tea with those flowers if you like.”

“Is that alright?” Hinata asked warily. “I mean... You’re...”

“It’ll be fine,” Komaeda replied. “Really. Please. Come inside.”

“I... Okay.”

* * *

With warm tea, the soup does go down really well. Komaeda even lights up, humming with delight at the taste. Hinata is even smiling at him, even with those worry lines still very much visible.

“So is that the potion?” Hinata ends up asking at some point. “It smells different than the usual. Almost...like nothing, I guess?”

“Supposedly, it doesn’t really taste like anything, either,” Komaeda said. “But it’s pretty dangerous if handled improperly.”

“Too many of your potions are like that, Komaeda,” Hinata remarked. “Even if you live for longer, I doubt you’re all that more durable.”

“Yes, I can die to poison just like a human,” Komaeda chirped cheerfully. “I can also bleed out. That is also true.”

“S-So then be more careful!”

Komaeda just laughs.

“Hinata-kun’s such a worrywart...! I’ll be more careful. Don’t worry.”

Hinata looks unconvinced, but he still nods along and sips at his tea.

“...it really is good,” he murmurs. “Thanks...for the tea.”

“I should be thanking you for the soup,” Komaeda replied, sipping away another spoonful. “It’s also very good. Hinata-kun’s such a good cook. That’s a very attractive trait. Your soulmate is so very lucky.”

“Right... My soulmate...” Hinata mulls it over. “I... Actually I haven’t really been too concerned about that as of late...” He rubs his nape, gaze flickering towards him. “I guess I just...had more important things to worry about.”

“Well, you are still young, haha!” Komaeda still beamed. “You mustn’t let your youth slip away!”

“...you do realize I’m _grown_ , right?” Hinata asked, irritated. “I’m definitely too old to be told that kind of thing, Komaeda.”

“You really aren’t,” Komaeda said cheerily and without missing a beat. “But I suppose you do have the attitude of an old man sometimes, Hinata-kun.”

“I’ve been told that,” Hinata sighed.

Komaeda snickers, finishing up his soup and drinking the rest of his tea.

“...so...” Hinata finishes his cup as well. “Are you...feeling better...?”

“Mm...” Komaeda rubs his throat. “A little.”

“You’ll probably feel a lot better after that potion,” Hinata said.

Komaeda perked up at that, glancing towards the pot in question.

“...yeah.”

For whatever reason, his chest clenched.

“Actually,” he found himself saying. “It may not even be necessary. I’m already feeling alright. And that potion _is_ pretty risky to take.”

“Is that so?” Hinata asks with wide-eyed curiosity.

“Y... Yeah...”

Hinata lit up, beaming so brightly that it was warmer than sunlight.

“That’s great to hear!”

_Ah. There’s no doubt about it._

His heart _definitely_ just skipped a beat. His cheeks most certainly felt warm. And yet, he could breathe.

“...it’s thanks to you,” he mumbled softly. “Because Hinata-kun helped me... I feel a lot better.”

“I didn’t really do anything besides bringing soup,” Hinata pointed out wryly. “You’re giving me way too much credit, Komaeda.”

_It’s the truth. I’m sure of it._

“Hinata-kun really did help,” he insisted. “Your presence helps a lot. When you die, I’ll be very sad! I might just cry right now...!”

“P-Please don’t cry!” Flushed and exasperated, Hinata ran his fingers through his hair. “Um. Since our time together is going to be short... I would like to make you smile more than cry...”

Komaeda snorted.

“That makes me so happy I might just cry tears of joy.”

“Please don’t cry...!”

He ended up laughing so hard that he ended up choking.

“Ack, _Komaeda_!”

Hinata was by his side in a heartbeat, smacking his back. Komaeda wheezed, swallowing back saliva and rubbing his throat. Hinata was tense with concern, but he relaxed with a heavy sigh when Komaeda flashed him a grin and a thumbs-up.

“Don’t _scare_ me like that,” Hinata snapped, shoving him, albeit with minimal force.

“Sorry, sorry,” Komaeda chirps, not sounding very sorry at all.

Scowling, Hinata took the empty soup container.

“Since you’re doing well enough to leave alone, I guess I should get going.” Hinata swallowed, for some reason, reddening a bit more as he did. “I have other things to do. Yeah.”

“Please don’t let someone like me take up too much of your time,” Komaeda said, clasping his hands. “You don’t have very much, after all.”

“It’s better taken up here than a lot of other places,” Hinata muttered, and then his cheeks went up in flames.

“...ehe...” Komaeda’s head tilts. “What do you mean, Hinata-kun?”

“ _Nothing_!!” Hinata practically fled, speaking in a rush as he did. “See you later, _bye_!”

All in one breath, followed by the door slamming shut. Komaeda hummed, smile twitching with worry.

_Hinata-kun...really does get so worked up so easily._

He gathers up the teacups to clean, pausing when he glanced at the remaining flowers that Hinata had brought him. For a moment, his smile is tinged with sad fondness before it falls. Washing the dishes, he returns to the jar of flowers and checks them for seeds.

“I might be able to grow more...and that’ll be really helpful...”

_Growing’s going to be work, though. Aha, Hinata-kun... Oh, Hinata-kun..._

His chest hurts, but he can still breathe. He stores the rest of the flowers, returning to his potion. It was finished up, so he could’ve drank it then and there.

_I..._ Komaeda swallows. _It might not be necessary, after all. And it is dangerous. If I lose my voice, I won’t be able to talk to Hinata-kun anymore._

**_I don’t want that._ **

With that in mind, he decides to just store it for later. Just in case.

_Although I could also always find other uses for it. Like creating different mixtures. It would be fine. Just fine._

“Aah, should I tell Nanami-san about this...?” he wonders aloud. He gets flustered just thinking about it. “Maybe not. She doesn’t _need_ to know.”

_She might get the wrong idea. Hinata-kun and I... We aren’t..._

Komaeda shakes his head as he puts things away, arranging them carefully.

_Right now, being friends is enough for both of us. I think. I... The idea of going further is a bit scary. Then again, if it’s Hinata-kun... Aah, what am I **thinking**?_

Right now, his face felt uncomfortably hot as he cupped his cheeks.

_It’s too much! **Way** too much!_

He buried his face in his hand, muffing any embarrassing noises that just so happened to escape his throat.

_I’ve never even really had a friend before... It’s already so overwhelming...and yet..._

“I’m really happy, too...” Komaeda mumbles as he plops onto his bed with a sigh. “Hinata-kun shares those feelings... That’s such a wonderful thing... So wonderful and so frightening. He might not even fully understand it, too.”

_Hinata-kun’s so dense, after all. But..._

“If we’re together,” he says as he looks up. “I think... It’ll be fine.”

_Our time together is transient and fleeting. That’s part of what makes it so precious. Hinata-kun... Please continue to bloom beautifully._

Aha, he could never tell him such a thing aloud. At least, not now. It’d be way too embarrassing.

But... Maybe someday. Maybe. Perhaps.

_There’s no way I could ever just say something that cheesy without choking up and dying._

Komaeda laughs, softly and sullenly.

_Still... I’ll look forward to later, for now. Let’s just hang out like normal, Hinata-kun._

The future was shimmering and uncertain, and yet, he couldn’t help but feel just a little optimistic.


End file.
